The description of this perfume on the Byway site originally said that this perfume scent was inspired by a lap dance (they changed the copy soon after the spoilers got out), so I was a little skeptical of what it might smell like. (And I’m also skeptical of perfumes in subscription boxes in general since they are so taste specific). The perfume has a very sweet scent, and I like it! It’s not an everyday perfume for me, but I will use it.

I’m also happy to see that the MAKE lipstick shade I received is what I would consider a fall shade. It’s got a little too much orange in it for my skin tone though, so I’ll be gifting or swapping it.

Yay for an all natural high-end beauty item! It has a great scent and I can’t wait to use it.

Joie Knit Cap – Value $98

This cap is kind of a bummer for me since I was hoping for gloves or a scarf from Joie based on their spoiler/hint. I wish I could pull off the look of wearing a cap like this – but it does not agree with my head shape! This will be swapped or gifted as well!

My favorite item in the box! It’s much more lightweight than I thought it would be from the spoiler pictures, but the darker colors make it great for fall. (I absolutely love the bright bold blue!)

Verdict: I paid $100 for this box and received about $340 worth of products. This isn’t my favorite limited edition box from POPSUGAR, but I have a few new products I love thanks to the box, and I’ll swap/gift the rest so I’m happy I bought it. If the hat and been a different item that worked for me I would have been much happier with the value since the hat accounts for about $100 of this box!

Liz is the founder of My Subscription Addiction. She’s been hooked on subscription boxes since 2011 thanks to Birchbox, and she now subscribes to over 100 boxes. Her favorites include POPSUGAR Must Have, FabFitFun, and any box that features natural beauty products!

All views in this review are the opinion of the author. My Subscription Addiction will never accept payment in exchange for a review, but will accept a box at no cost to provide honest opinions on the box. This post may contain affiliate/referral links. Read the complete My Subscription Addiction disclosure.

69 Comments

Ariana
September 21, 2014 at 1:18 pm

I posted this comment on the September box thread, but wanted to post it here as well for comments:

Am I the only person that feels that Popsugar caters to people that live in cooler climates? In the past year, they’ve included five scarves, a pair of gloves and a wool/cashmere beanie hat between the monthly and special edition boxes! I feel they are not considering all of their subscribers that live in warmer climates. Unlike a sun hat or SPF that most everyone can use to prevent harmful sun exposure, not everyone can use fall/winter attire. One scarf is understandable, but five seems excessive to me.

If this had been a monthly box I would have been happy. But there is no fall theme, the scarf value is a joke, and overall this box feels like a hodgepodge of stuff I could have picked up from TJ Maxx at half the cost. Don’t even get me started in the stripper perfume.

(Cooment was cut off)
it’s so incredibly sweet I’m sure I would be unable to give anyone a lap dance due to the searing migraine it induces. I do like the WINTER hat, although the fit is totally wonky. But as a knitter I could make something similar in 100% cashmere and hand-knitting an item is usually is NOT the cheaper option. This is definitely my last LE box.

Do it!! Knitting is so much fun, stressful in the beginning, but it’s great to have something in my purse to keep me occupied at all times.

Blessedmommi
September 7, 2014 at 1:35 pm

I finally haven’t box in hand, and I’m still feeling meh about it. Everything will eventually get used, my 2yr old loves the gummies, she practically devoured the whole bag. However I felt like this box was still missing something to send it over the top, it would have been nice if the scarf and hat matched or if they had a scarf and gloves, but this box just seemed to miss that luxury feel that I believe a Limited Edition box should posess. Maybe if they had included a beautiful piece of jewelry it would have tied the rest of the box together but for me it was missing something.
I guess I’ll give their LE box one more try, here’s hoping the next one has it all 🙂

Did anyone else feel that the fit on the hat was off? It is too big to wear as a regular cap but too small to wear as a cute slouchy beanie. If anyone figured out a good way to wear it ( maybe I just have a small head) then please share!

I actually loved this box. The scarf is something i would never buy due to the cost but so perfect for work. The hat is so soft and warm I cant wait to use it during our cold chicago winters. My teenage daughter loves the perfume and bunnies and ill use the face wash and lipstick. I was debating on this and nina and im very happy with my choice. I also really love their monthly boxes and i dont feel guilty on the splurge if I can share a few things with my daughters too then.

I’m very disappointed with this box. It was a birthday gift from my husband and I picked this over a Kindle paperwhite. I could be reading ebooks on my deck right now instead of smelling like a strip club.

I like the hat. I wish I hadn’t gotten myself all ready for those gloves everyone thought we were getting.

The box is not Fall themed at all, which makes me sad. I love Fall and that’s the reason I chose this box of goodies for my bday gift.

And, the fact that there is one less item than usual is glaringly obvious. There should have been a home item. Are you kidding me?! Think of all the wonderful Fall themed home items they could have put in there. Fall is the absolute coziest/homiest season of the year. I expected atleast a pumpkin or maple scented candle. Come on Popsugar! Total fail at the curating of this box. I liked the August monthly box better.

After 6 LE boxes, the last three being disappointing and this one being just a total bummer, I’m done with the LE boxes. These boxes don’t say luxury to me at all. But, I see that for people who know fashion brands it does say luxury. I guess, I’m not luxurious enough to appreciate brand name luxury.

Jennifer, I would like to pass my box off to someone else – I live in south Florida so unfortunately I won’t get use out of the hat or scarf, and the lipstick shade doesn’t go well with my skin tone. 🙂

This was my first LE box and, while I wasn’t wholly disappointed, I’m still scratching my head a bit.

If I had to describe what I was looking for I’d say luxe, chic, and seasonal but I think only the lipstick hit that mark (I know that cobalt is in this season, but I’m trying to pair these blue butterflies against fall leaf-toned sweaters and all I see is clash).

I don’t especially want to smell like spun-sugar (which apparently smells like lap dances?) and strawberries and eat gummies. Fall is my jam, ladies, and I had hoped PS would come through with warm spices and warm tones with this one.

I don’t think you could have said this better! Totally agree. This is my third LE and I was underwhelmed with the last two but thought how could they get fall wrong?! I think anything warm scented or warm toned would have been welcomed in the box.

Completely agree. I love all things fall and I have to say that while all the items are fine, there’s nothing in the box that gets me really excited. I don’t care for the scarf at all, and the hat isn’t something I’ll get much use of in TX. Boo.

I received my box today. I normally love love love SE boxes but thus one missed the mark for me.

The cleanser looks fantastic but I have such sensative skin, I can’t go astray from my current routine. The lipstick would be great for all you medium toned gals. And the hat – while the price tag is fancy – I look so silly in it.

If anyone missed it before it sold out and wants to buy mine, let me know!

This was my first LE box and it might be my last. It’s not that any of the items are bad, it’s just that they don’t seem that special. As many others have mentioned, the MSRP on the scarf is laughable. $140 for a very thin piece of rayon fabric?! I realize PS only represents the prices set by the manufacturers, but it feels disingenuous to perpetuate that. I don’t know. I guess the whole point of sub boxes is the surprise factor. To plunk down $100 for something entirely unknown is the risk I chose to take, but like any gamble, it always stings a bit when it doesn’t really pay off.

I quite enjoyed this box – the scarf and lipstick are lovely. I’m eager (and slightly nervous) to try the cleanser as I have sensitive skin but it is in such a gorgeous container. The beanie is just so perfect for me. I am an ivory knit hat person and this style is different from my others so I’m adoring it. Then I just love the gummies.

My only “so so” item was the fragrance – it’s very sweet. I think I might just wear it if I want to feel super girly and put on some pajamas and watch rom coms. It’s wearable and not too cloying but also not the sort of fragrance I’ll wear regularly (or out). I feel like I’m a sugar cookie when I wear it.

I just received my box and it’s just so-so. I’m not thrilled with it. I agree with what a few others have said that it just seems like a slightly upgraded monthly box, nothing really special about it. I also feel like they didn’t really carry the theme of Fall throughout the box. That being said I do love the scarf, especially since I’m not a “scarf person” and would never buy one, this gives me an opportunity to really bust out of my comfort zone and the colors are perfect for my wardrobe. In fact I just happened to have these blue pants (Fabletics) and a black top on when I opened this!

I like the cleanser (but really it’s not that high of a value) and the perfume but the hat is soooo not me (this is a perfect gift for my sister), the lipstick not my shade, the gummies are fine but cheapen this a bit for me.

All in all I’ll make use of everything but I’m just not excited about it. I expected more from an LE.

My box arrived. I bought it thinking it may be similar to last year’s fall box. I feel like I received an upgraded monthly box and not a seasonal box. The perfume and strawberry scented cleanser is summery to me. The hat reminds me of winter. It seems random.

I tried the perfume which smells like sugar cookies on me and had to wash it off because it smells too sweet. The scent also reminds me of cotton candy. I like the concept of it being made in the USA and in small batches and was hoping to like it. Maybe if it had less notes. I’m giving it to my sister to try. The lipstick looks great. My younger son will eat the gummies.

The colors on the scarf are pretty. The hat works well for me. I rubbed a little of the cleanser on my hand to test it. The smell reminded me of my Strawberry Shortcake doll that I had as a child. It’s amazing how a scent can take you back into time.

When you find an Hermes or Louis Vuitton scarf for $140, please let us all know!!!! I’m an experienced Stylist and those designers have scarves starting at nearly $400 for items as large as a napkin and ranging up to the $3,000 mark. To the credit of the curators for this box they are still designer brands. 🙂

I think people were saying that Quarterly’s Nina Garcia Box like all of Quarterly’s boxes have a satisfaction guarantee. PS is not refundable based on the FAQ provided on their website.

Well said. I have been a LV fan for over 25 years with over 100 pieces in my closet. I buy the bandanas to tie to my bags, and they are $180. I bought a cotton one last summer for almost $400 and it was sure a steal, cos most of their scarves start at $600. I love scarves, and to me if there is a scarf in the box, it is worthwhile for me. Walk into Macy’s and the scarves look like flea market and they are $40 easy.

Thank you! If people don’t like items they can swap or sell them, but boxes are a risk and there are usually ways to work with what you have. For those that think the fragrance is too sweet, layer a fresh or woodsy scent over it… Maybe pomegranate noir by the queen of mixing scents Jo Malone. For those that hate the lipstick… Change the liner, mix the colors, layer with a gloss, or do an ombré lip… All the same things you can do with things you already have to freshen them up.

You are right. Someone was deciding if they should get Nina box. I said why not because you can return it if you don’t like it. PS does not do that. So, I worry about dropping $100.00 on a LE box. What if I hate it!? 🙁 At least it give you stuff to TRADE! 🙂

You Are ABSOLUTELY right Katrina!!! I am a high end brand shopper and I know this box is an amazing deal! I’m thrilled to get a piece of Marchesa and Joie at a discount! Marchesa is always on the red carpet and is a super hot brand right now. I play Covet Fashion and both of these brands are obvious steals in this box!

I hoped I’d feel better about this box once I received it. But, it just isn’t for me. I have 3 of these to unload in case anyone that missed it is interested. I’d be happy to sell them for what I paid (+ exact shipping cost). 🙂

Still waiting on mine, I dont love everything so Ill be keeping some and gifting the rest. Wish the hat and scarf at least match.. wondering if they did it on purpose because maybe it matches the scarf in the Sept box.

I actually really liked the box. Since I run a dessert blog the perfume was pretty much made for me since most of my perfumes make me smell like a cookie (my husbands description). His comment on the perfume was “yum you smell like vanilly cotton candy” and got a thumbs up.

The scarf is lightweight and lovely and will be used this fall.

The hat is a little plain but it’s soft and we have actual fall where I live so it will also get used.

My shade of lipstick was very fall.

The cleanser smells really yummy.

Haven’t tried the candy yet but I love all things gummy so I’m sure I will like it.

Peabody! You said what i think and I reiterate that this box is awesome and made for me! Love everything and everything is made well and the colors are great and the smells are good and the lipstick both moisturizers and has a great staying power!! Love, love, love it all!! Thanks Popsugar!

I am more than willing to sell my box to anyone who was sad to have missed it. I just received it and while it’s worth much more than the hundred dollars I paid, most of the items do not work with my body and skin. Hope to hear from you!

I was surprised by the knit hat. It was much softer than I thought because it is a cashmere blend. I don’t wear caps like that but it will be such a nice gift to give my sister so I’m happy about that.

Glad I dodged this bullet! This scarf is nice but I LOVE the one from the monthly. This doesn’t really seem like a fall box. The candies aren’t even pumpkin/apple flavored! The perfume should at least have a fall spice kind of scent. And the hat is more winter.
Trying to decide if ill get the nina Garcia box as its theme has gone to winter. Living in FL, winter boxes have little use as fall stuff is heavy enough for our winter.

I heard there were a large number of returns for the NG summer box, mine included. This is a much better LE box compared to that one but still not honestly worth the $100 we paid. All subs inflate value but this was a bit over the top IMO.
And like I said elsewhere on here, the scarf value is ridiculous. Unless it’s LV or Hermes, or all Italian silk I’m never paying $140 for a scarf, and certainly not when I can get one in my $40 monthly sub box the same month! I also live in a year round warm climate so the hat is a miss for me me, though it is cute. I stick with fall versus winter boxes for exactly that reason. But it will make a lovely Christmas gift for a family member back east, though it bums me out when I buy myself a LE box only to wind up gifting half of the contents. I know some buy for that express purpose but not me. I didn’t know PS accepted returns, even after 2 years with them so thanks for sharing that!

When you find an Hermes or Louis Vuitton scarf for $140, please let us all know!!!! I’m an experienced Stylist and those designers have scarves starting at nearly $400 for items as large as a napkin and ranging up to the $3,000 mark. To the credit of the curators for this box they are still designer brands.

I haven’t gotten my box yet, but if anyone wanted this box and feels like they missed out, I’m happy to sell you mine.

I understand that it’s a higher value box but:
– With all the cleanser I already have I don’t need another.
– The scarf doesn’t match the hat and clashes with my olive fall/winter coat.
– The hat is similar to one I have and don’t wear anymore because my hair is colored in such a way that it would color transfer all over this should I attempt it.
This makes this a great box… for someone else.

I still haven’t received mine so there’s still hope I’ll love it. I like it, but would I spend $100 on these items? Probably not. I made a last minute decision to go with the LE box instead of the Nina Garcia box because I was just super unimpressed with her summer box and didn’t like that her fall box was going to be shipping late and winter themed. I think I’m done with PSMH and $100 boxes for now. I don’t miss the monthly box or feel like I’m missing out. I’m team Golden Tote all the way!!

I love this box! I am so excited to be getting it! It is so on top of Fashion for Fall!!!! The scarf completely matches my Cobalt Blue walking coat for winter and I absolutely love the hat! I was hoping for the gloves and scarf on the website but I guess our imaginations run wild without knowing what we are getting! The other items are just a bonus for me. I regularly pay around $100 for a nice scarf so this is a steal for me! I also got the September regular monthly box so that’s the next one to get excited about!

I always get anxious when I don’t buy a Popsugar box because I’m so sure it’s going to be the best one ever. I cancelled my monthly subscription because the boxes were starting to go downhill and the LE boxes are declining even faster. I’m bummed because I really liked this box initially but now I’m saving my money for boxes that continue to get better like Golden Tote. 🙂

I actually think it’s on the shorter side too. My 2 year old is currently obsessed with the scarf and it fits her perfectly when wrapped around her neck twice. I wore it yesterday and could only wrap it once.

Overall this box was meh for me. I won’t be purchasing any more LE boxes. I got this one despite my better judgement because I LOVE fall. But this box doesn’t say “fall” to me at all! A winter hat took up almost 1/3 the box value. The smaller items (cleanser, lipstick, gummies) are nice, but not worth the $100. I like the scarf but I cannot imagine it’s worth the $140 they claim. I’d pay $20 tops for it. I also think the box is missing an item. Needed one more thing to make it feel like a LE box and not a normal monthly.

I agree. There needs to be something more. The scarf in the monthly box, I like better. I kept going back and forth on which box to get this month. I am glad this was sold out. I love the other scarf so much better. This does seem to be more like a monthly box. I got a hat just like this one for $10.00 last year. Now, I know it is not name brand… but still….

For a scarf to be valued at $100 or higher, it needs to have the brand Hermes on it for me to ever spend that much. I have definitely dropped $400 on an Hermes because they’re not only gorgeous and timeless but increase in resale value. The hat is cute but like you, I got one just like it, also a cashmere blend, at a B-G late winter sale for only $19. The rest of the box, meh. I remember a time not so long ago that LE boxes were fabulous across the board. They all seem to have slipped in quality and overall value in the past 18 months. My NG summer box completely sucked to the point I returned it (after being unable to give away the crappy hat, lol). It just seems that whenever I switch from a sub’s monthly box because they’re slipping and buy the LE boxes, which were much better, the tables turn on me. This month the PS monthly box was a much bigger hit than the LE. I guess we have to just roll with it or say no completely. And I know that’s not likely to happen, LOL!